Kuuipo Means Sweetheart
by AnneMDR
Summary: Z/V in Hawaii
1. Hotel Room

_**Chapter 1**_

"I can't believe we had to leave the beach early because you left your Sidekick again"

Zac chuckled as he placed his surf board next to their suite's door and reached into his pocket for the room key. Vanessa followed close behind holding the rest of their stuff and wearing nothing but her bathing suit under one of Zac's shirt.

"Well, if someone hadn't been in such a hurry to go surfing this morning, maybe I wouldn't have left it" –She said pouting a little bit. Zac opened the door and stood aside for her to go inside.

"And besides" –Vanessa argued looking straight into his eyes. "I can make it worth your while!". She winked and stepped into the suite they had been sharing for almost a week now.

"Hey, you're the one who wanted surf lessons, remember?" Zac replied as she turned around and swayed her hips seductively…He smiled and stared at her body up and down from behind while trying to reach blindly for the surf board. He didn't want to take his eyes off of her but soon realized he must've looked like a fool trying to reach the board without even looking.

Vanessa put everything she was carrying on the small breakfast table in the room and then looked around, taking in the messy sight. Clothes were scattered in little piles all over the floor, it was like an invasion of shoes had taken place, using belts and t-shirts as their allies and carrying a provision of candies and snacks. One of her suitcases laid opened on a chair with all of her bikinis inside it and a few other beach essentials...that, she deiced, could just as well represent the base of operations for the fashion battlefield.

She sighed – thinking that they had leaned very little of their experience with the casitas during High School Musical 2 – and decided the best way to start was to think of where she could've left her favorite gadget in the first place.

Zac opened the sliding doors to their balcony and took in the beautiful view of the Hawaiian landscape while placing his surf board against the railing…just as he turned back around he saw her heading for the couch and checking every pocket of every short and every shirt she found laying there. Her forehead showed a delicate frown, and she was slightly biting her lower lip.

He smiled and thought how there was no more beautiful sight than that of his girlfriend.

Vanessa looked up from her task to see him smiling at her from the balcony and could only smile back…she shook her head at him and lowered it to continue looking for her phone between the couch cushions. "You know, this would probably be faster if you actually helped me out" –she said without looking up.

There was a sound behind her as he closed the sliding doors and made his way towards her. He stood next to her on the couch and moved some of the strands of hair, which was covering her face, behind her ear. Her hands stopped moving and she looked up slowly to find herself staring 

at the only guy who could ever make her tremble in ecstasy, and a pair of impossibly blue eyes…an intoxicating mix of fire and ice.

He felt as though her eyes looked straight into his soul. So different from his and yet reflecting the same range of emotions...a whirlwind of brown and golden watercolors that consumed and inflamed him all at once.


	2. No Small Talk

_**Chapter 2**_

He bent down a little and rubbed the tip of his nose against hers. "Am afraid I'm too much of a distraction for you Van" –he whispered teasingly, their breaths caressing softly. "So I think I better let you do your thing". Zac placed a kiss on the top of her soft head and turned to leave; the haze of his spell dissipating from her eyes as she saw his smirking face and then his retreating back heading towards the bed.

She grabbed one of his shirts off the floor (the words "Feel my Heat" printed on it) and threw it in his direction while he was still within reach. It hit his back but he just grinned without turning back around, pretending not to notice.

"Come on Zac! If you help me we can go back down to the beach before dinner" –Vanessa stood up and walked over to the suitcase where she kept her swim gear. He heard her frustrated grunt as he sat down on the foot of the bed and removed his shirt; dropping it next to the bed and making a mental note to pick it up later.

"V, even if I do help you, I don't think we're going to the beach again. I'm tired; the waves were kinda rough today…and you must be tired of watching me get knocked over by them while you sunbathed" –He closed his eyes and fell backwards on the soft white bedspread.

"Is that sarcasm I detect on your voice?" –Vanessa asked loudly from the other side of the room. There was no answer; she turned her head around and saw him laying on the bed, eyes closed, bare chest and golden tan over perfect abs. She thought he was asleep, and decided to surrender to the sudden urge of watching him more closely.

As she reached the bed, however, he said quietly –"Besides, we should probably stay here anyway and try to pick up a little bit. The room's a fucking mess…"

She laughed at his comment and stood there looking down at him. He opened one eye slowly…he wasn't really surprised to see her standing there, but he still smiled at her sheepishly. "Oh" –he closed his eyes again and reached up for her hand. "So I guess you heard what I just said?"

"Yep!" –She entwined her fingers with his, and allowed herself to be pulled down towards the bed. Sitting down next to him, she started caressing his hair with her free hand. "And you're probably right too… besides, I really think room service hasn't been here in like days. You know, to tidy up and stuff."

She looked around their suite frowning. All of a sudden, Zac laughed out loud and received a smack on the ribs from the smaller girl. "Whaaat?" –She whined playfully. "Why are you laughing at me?"

He rubbed the spot where she hit him, looked up at her and said– "Seriously Van? Come on!...the room was even worse yesterday! And who do you think has been making our bed 

everyday?... the seven dwarfs?". He continue to chuckle and grabbed her hand before she could hit him again.

"Well, I don't know!... I just didn't realize it could get so bad so soon…I thought nobody was cleaning and so everything kept piling up!" –She continued playing with his hair with one hand, as he placed the other one on his chest, blue eyes closing again. "No wonder my mom doesn't want us to move in together" –She continued gently.

"We've been here for five days and only now you notice…" –Zac went serious and opened his eyes to look at her, lifting his upper body to rest on his arms he asked –"Wait...you told your mom you wanted to move in with me?"

"Relax surfer boy!" –She pushed him down onto the bed again and claimed on top of him, straddling his hips. "I didn't say that per se. I was just talking to her about how well we adjusted to living on our own, how we were so independent and did all the grown-up stuff".

She started to rub her fingertips over and all around his chest, noticing smugly how his breathing increased immediately. "Then she told me I couldn't bullshit her!" –Vanessa grinned and leaned down to rest on top of him, placing her head under his chin. "She knows how messy I can be and she often talked to your mom… so she knew exactly how messy you are too. Now, I didn't know then where she was going with this until she dropped it dead cold on me…"

His hands had gone around her waist and he could smell the citrus scent of her shampoo, this time combined with his other favorite scents…the beach, sultry and freeing, and the sun, hot and inviting. She moved her head again, this time resting it on his shoulder, and continued–

"She said, and I quote 'I know you two lived next to each other and probably spent a lot of time alone together …but staying with someone is not the same as living with them day in and day out..." –Vanessa had started to place small kisses on his ear and the side of his neck – "so don't even think about telling me you're moving in together!'"

It was her turn to chuckle as she remembered that very peculiar conversation in her mom's kitchen, and the intense blushing that accompanied it for several days in a row. After all, her mother knew she and Zac were more than intimate with each other, but it was the first time she had acknowledged it so bluntly… hence, it was branded in her memory.

Zac was far too distracted by the feeling of Vanessa's body against his, her legs still on either side of his hips. Her small laughter only made her press more into him and it was beginning to drive him a little crazy. The last thing he needed right now was imagine Gina have that conversation with her little girl.

But he knew just how to get Vanessa to drop the subject…


	3. It's called foreplay!

_**Chapter 3**_

His hands had traveled from her waist to her things, and he stroked them up and down…first the front, then the back.

"I thought you said you were tired" –She whispered against his lips.

"Only to go back to the beach baby…" –He grabbed the back of her head, tangling his fingers in the endless softness of her curls, and brought her head down for a kiss. He covered her lips with his own, hearing her moan and feeling her grinding against him. Then it was her turn to cover his lips with hers and tease him with the tip of her tongue.

He opened his mouth and his tongue slipped quickly through her lovely lips. They moaned and played with each others tongues until the need to breathe overpowered their need to continue tasting each other.

She felt the familiar burning sensation taking over her body, the hairs on the back oh her neck stood on end and she shivered under his touch. He couldn't think, could barely breathe…all he could do was feel their passion and succumb to the pleasure she brought. She, Vanessa, Van, baby V…whatever he might call her, there was only one title that suited her completely in his mind; **The love of his life.**

He wanted her…she needed him. She panted as he sucked the tender skin on the side of her neck, biting slightly and leaving an undeniable mark on her perfect velvet skin. She pushed away from him and kissed his lips again roughly. It was time to get back at him for teasing her earlier…

She took his hands and placed his arms above his head –"Let's see how long you can go without touching!" –She smiled and wiggled her eyebrows.

"Is that a dare Miss. Hudgens?" –She shrugged. "Alright then…but I must warn you though, you're diving into dangerous waters." He smiled seductively and put his hands behind his head.

Vanessa narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously, and decided that it was a risk worth taking…

Still sitting on top of him, she reached behind her and under the shirt she was wearing…Slowly she untied the laces of her bikini top, and then brought her hands out of the shirt again to reach for the laces on the back of her neck; untying the neat bow he had helped her with that morning.

Taking one of the untied laces, she pulled her top through the shirt's neck opening and held it up for him to look at. He was beginning to loose control, and she could tell.

Vanessa let the garment drop to the floor and then proceeded to lift the shirt a little bit over her left hip. He looked down to find her untying one side of her bikini bottom. Zac cleared his throat and tried to keep his cool…but he knew that she knew he was failing miserably.

With one side completely done, she pulled the shirt back down and repeated her actions on the right side of her body. When that was done, she pushed the shirt back down again and, lifting herself just a tidbit off him, carefully removed the last part of her bikini.

He was burning up…he couldn't take it any longer. So?, she was good at the game, and he was about to loose; at that moment he couldn't have cared less.

He sat up and pulled her into a soaring kiss. It was no longer playful…it was no longer soft. Tongues wrestled each other, his hands found their way into her shirt and he grabbed for her butt, squeezing softly.

He then pushed her back into the bed, reversing their positions. Now he was on top of her…and not being able to feel her skin against his because of that damn shirt was the breaking point.

He started opening the shirt, not bothering at all with the buttons…he could see more and more of her as he continued to tear the front of one of his only white cotton shirts.

While small buttons flew, Vanessa reached for the front of his board shorts and clumsily opened the flap…soon after, there were no other shirts or shorts to stand in their way. Their bodies touched and connected as one; as they began the unique dance of love making.

Two pairs of eyes meeting and staring into the open windows of two lovers' souls…Water and earth coming together once more…


	4. Just Breathe

_**Chapter 4**_

Vanessa opened her eyes and looked at her golden boy, the same boy who invaded her every thought, her every dream…every ounce of her being. Smiling contently, she snuggled closely to him and sank into the peaceful slumber of the afterglow.

Zac woke an hour later and stirred softly in the bed, it was still bright outside, but the room was getting colder. He moved Vanessa's head off his chest, taking his numb arm from under her as well, and somehow managed to untangle the bed sheets underneath them to cover their bodies.

He laid back down and rearranged Vanessa so he could hold her from behind, arm tightly around her slim waist and snuggling into her neck. Her hair was still a little damp with sweat, but he didn't mind. One thing about his girl…she slept like a rock, especially after exercising in any way.

Wondering how he ever got so lucky, he sighed and knew this was the right time to give her the little present he had picked up for her two days ago. He'd had the opportunity before, but somehow the moment always seemed to slip away.

But, not this time. This time he's go through with it, even if he had to wake sleeping beauty up.

He took a deep breath and released her body long enough to retrieve the small velvet box hidden inside a pair of clean socks in the nightstand drawer. After he had it in his hand, he took another deep breath –"relax man, it's not like your proposing" –He thought to himself.

He got behind her again and shook her softly…She grunted and turned around, eyes still closed, trying to cuddle into his arms again. "Wake up baby" –He told her lovingly, and kissed her shoulder. Her skin tasted salty. –"come on Van…wake up. I have something for you". She grunted loudly once more.

He nuzzled his nose against hers and kissed her closed eyelids. "Zac babe…I need to rest! I don't have your stamina…just give me a few more minutes, k?" –Vanessa smiled pleasantly but refused to open her eyes; and he laughed wholesomely at her little insinuation masquerading as a compliment.

"It's not that…well, not yet at least!"


	5. You're my Kuuipo

_**Chapter 5**_

She giggled and finally opened her eyes slowly. Looking right at him, she asked –"Alright Zac…what is it?"

"I got you a little present…here" –He handed her the little box. Vanessa couldn't hide her surprise; and her eyes registered with shock that his present could only be one thing.

A ring!… a ring for her. A ring from him to her!

She licked her lips nervously and took the offered token, wrapping her small hands around it. Zac followed suit by placing his larger ones around hers, holding the box in between. "Is ok" –he murmured –"Open it."

She opened the box slowly and marveled at the sight of a thick gold ring, black letters engraved on it. –"It's beautiful!" –She took it out of its small cushion. She noticed that the letters spelled the word "KUUIPO".

"What does that mean?" –She asked quietly. He smiled and took the box from her; placing it back on the nightstand. Turning back around, he grabbed the ring from her, held out her right hand and slid it tenderly on her ring finger. –"It means sweetheart…_my_ sweetheart"

She couldn't stop looking at the beautiful ring on her hand. Everything was fading around her; around them…There was nothing else in the world but their nude bodies on that specious bed. And she felt herself falling even more in love with him –if that was even possible–.

He couldn't read her expression very well; she just seemed to be somewhere else completely. He cleared his thought nervously –"It's a commitment ring…I know it's not like the greatest ring ever. But, I don't know…It just reminded me of you. And the guy at the store told me this whole story about it…"

She snapped back from her dreamlike state to listen to what he was trying to tell her. He seemed anxious; a bit apprehensive even. He kept shaking his head while he spoke, and tuning her ring around and around.

"…Maybe you don't even like it" –He continued. She stared at him as though he had grown two heads. What was he saying? And why?... –Zac sweetie, she thought, don't ruin the moment! –. "Babe…stop it!"

He looked into her eyes again, only to see a few tears starting to swell up in there. He tried to speak again; not really sure of what to say…but just needing to say anything. Vanessa's tears finally spilled as she placed her fingers on his lips, silencing him –"shh…" –She whispered. He frowned deeply, thinking that maybe she had misunderstood what he said before.

"It's my turn to speak now…" –Resting her forehead against his, and wrapping his arms around her body, she said. –"First of all, thank you so much for this. And second, what is wrong with 

you Zachary? Stop looking down on my present, because it's wonderful and I love it!... God! you could've given me a worn out piece of string and I would still love it…because it comes from you. _I.LOVE.IT_"

Her tears were coming more freely now, and she felt like there was not enough space in her chest for all the emotions she was experiencing. Zac felt some moisture on the bridge of his nose and realized he had started to cry as well. Vanessa did like the ring…now it was time to tell her what it truly meant.

"I'm giving you this so that you know that I am completely committed to you…for life, for eternity. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me, and I can't imagine my life without you…I love you." –He swallowed, finding it difficult to breathe once more.

"I love everything about you Vanessa. Your smile…your laugh…your sparkle. You complete me." –She sobbed loudly and smiled through her tears. –"I want to be with you no matter where you are, and I _always _want you to feel me right there beside you…even if we're far apart. That's what this ring symbolizes baby; I have giving you my heart, and you hold it in your hands."

She couldn't speak…so she whispered –"you have no idea what you mean to me. I don't think I could stand loosing you" –She entwined their hands and placed them on her chest, right above her left breast. "I will take care of your heart forever… if you promise to take care of mine."

There was nothing more to say, words lingered in the air and filled the space between them. Everything that ought to be spoken had already been said…So Zac kissed her and Vanessa kissed him back. And tears of joy mixed together as they sought out everything they needed in each other.

The room was filled with an orange glow as the sun set on the horizon. And an undying promise was sealed. A promise of roses and thorns, of laughter and sadness, of a future together… United through the good, and the bad.


	6. Back to the Beginning

_**Chapter 6 (finale)**_

Vanessa looked at herself in the bathroom mirror, the sound of water echoing behind her as Zac took a shower before getting ready to go out for dinner. A towel was wrapped loosely around her tanned body, her lips were still a bit swollen and a bluish purple mark stood out on her neck. "Good thing nobody can see the other one" –She thought.

She lifted her towel up a little and stared at the bigger mark he had made on her inner thing. Smiling and looking back in the mirror she was surprised to see herself blushing slightly. Vanessa wrinkled her nose at the image in front of her, poked her tongue out and finished curling her short brown hair with the curling iron.

A few minutes later her voiced resounded loudly off the bathroom walls. – "You know I'm never ever going to take the ring off, right?" –Zac moved his head away from the water and whipped the foggy glass door with his hand to look at his girlfriend.

"Well, I would hope so!" –He said, pushing his hair back and out of his face. She turned her head and replayed. –"I was just saying, you know…in case people saw it and started asking questions about it. I could avoid answering if you want me to, but I'm not taking it off". Without looking back in the mirror, she ran her fingers through her loose curls to finish off with her hair.

"No wonder they say 'great minds think alike'" –He winked at her and then reached for the shampoo. Vanessa smiled happily and grabbed her eyelash curler.

Afterwards, she went through her makeup pouch and -deciding she wasn't really in the mood for heavy makeup- only took her mascara and her favorite "cherry fizz" lip gloss out.

As she put the case down, she spotted on top of the sink the plain silver ring he had been wearing lately ; amidst a small clutter of makeup, hair & body products and accessories. She smiled suddenly as a wonderful idea formed in her mind.

Zac was already rinsing the conditioner off his blonde hair inside the shower, so she knew he'd be done soon. Trying his ring quickly on several fingers, she finally found that it fitted perfectly on her left thumb.

Vanessa was applying the finishing touches as he stepped out of the shower and started drying his wet body. By the time he was done, she was still in front of the mirror…this time putting on some perfume.

"Alright V…you need to go get ready now, cause I'm starving!" –He told her, reaching for his Axe body spray. And she stepped aside to give him more room.

Looking down at her left hand again, she asked as casually as she could. –"Baby, would you mind if I wore this silver ring of yours?" –And lifted her hand up to show him that she had already taken it.

He saw, he smiled…and then he said –"Sure. But, don't you have enough rings to last you like...two lifetimes?" –She stepped out of the bathroom and made her way to the closet.

"Yeah, but none of them are a plain band like this one. And I think it looks cute on me. So, thank you!" –She shouted; and he didn't need to see her face to know she had her signature cheeky smile on.

Some time passed quietly as they selected their respective outfits. Although throwing together whatever he found in the closet and just putting it on was Zac's specialty, tonight he wanted to make an effort.

As she was putting her sandals on, she looked up to see him buckling his belt and asked if he could tell her where he had bought the "Kuuipo" ring. When he wanted to know why, she simply said –"oh, you know how curious I am. And maybe you could also tell me that story you heard from the man at the store!"

He shrugged and agreed. She didn't want to lie to him, but her mother always said that a little suspense helps keep the flame alive… And, besides, she couldn't just right out tell him that it was because now she had the measure of his ring finger to get him a **Kuuipo** too. Where would be the fun in that?...

Half an hour later they were both dressed and ready to go. She went into the bedroom one final time, to turn on the light on the nightstand, when she heard a familiar sound.

Right there, under a small tote bag she had bought the day before, and next to a package of Nutter Butter peanut butter crackers, was her beloved Sidekick.

_**THE END**_


End file.
